How to Host the perfect Christmas Party

Before you start worrying over details, stop and think about what a perfect Christmas party means to you. It's not about keeping up with any neighbors. It's not doing things the way your family did when you were young. And it's really not about trying to be someone that you aren't.

So you now have permission to walk away from those stressful notions. As soon as you make the guest list, set up a four week count down "to do" list faultless with grocery and wine shopping lists.

Steak Knives Set

You can do this faster, but if you give yourself any weeks to prepare, the task is less daunting and you have more fun in the process. Plan a party that you as the hostess will really enjoy. That means no menu so complex that you're stuck in the kitchen.

How to Host the perfect Christmas Party

You are the host, not the caterer, and your friends want to spend time with you. Whether you host a dinner or open house, choose foods that are straightforward to serve and self-managing - as in a crock pot or heated chafing dish.

Make sure your food choices are easy to handle. At an open house or cocktail party, guests will mingle and stand. So you need to serve finger foods and nothing that requires a fork and knife to eat.

A holiday party is ordinarily more dressed up than the summer backyard barbeque, so avoid messy foods. Save the lasagna or steak for a sit down dinner party. Even buffalo wings that work great for a football party don't go well with glitter and gowns.

To keep a party flowing, scatter food trays in any rooms, not just the dining room. Add a few cheese and sandwich trays in the living room and desserts in the family room. To direct your guests, print small cards at each location with directions like this:
"Fabulous Desserts Await You in the family Room." It's practically like a scavenger hunt which keeps guests inspiring and looking new conversation groups as well as more yummy treats.

For your holiday party, you'll want to merge many Christmas decorations. choose a color and theme. That doesn't mean buying out the party store with kitsch.

If you use a green tablecloth, town the table or serving area with red holly. Then repeat the holly sprigs (artificial are easier and safer) as napkin holders. You can even serve brownies with small red holly berries and green leaves piped from icing sold at the grocer's baking section. Small touches that repeat a color or theme make guests think you planned this months in advance!

Take lots of pictures. The hostess needs to get a digital photo taken with every guest or group. Not only is this a great memory of the party, but it can be sent to each guest with a "thanks for arrival to my party" card.

Or you can place the photo inside a Christmas ornament and give that as a personalized gift. Your guests will love this. After all, parties are about bringing together people you care about and enjoying the time you have together. Make this year's holiday party one that you remember.

How to Host the perfect Christmas Party

Beef Pot Pie recipe - Homemade Beef Pot Pie

Hearty beef pot pie is a great meal to serve on a cold day or any time you want something that assuredly sticks to your ribs. You can add extra zing to this method by adding 1 large chopped onion and mix in 1/3 cup of red wine with the gravy.

1 pound sirloin steak, cubed

Steak Knives Set

Salt and pepper to taste

Beef Pot Pie recipe - Homemade Beef Pot Pie

1 (14 oz.) can beef broth

3 large carrots, cubed

1 cup icy green peas, thawed

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water

2 (9-inch) refrigerator pie crusts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan over medium high heat, brown the pieces of meat on all sides. Pour in adequate water to roughly cover the meat. Bring to a boil and sacrifice heat. Simmer meat until it falls apart assuredly (about 2 to 3 hours). Place meat in a large bowl. Slightly shred the meat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a 2-quart saucepan, integrate the beef broth, carrots and potatoes. Cook over medium high heat until roughly tender (about 15 to 20 minutes).

When the carrots and potatoes are done, exchange to a large mixing bowl and integrate with the beef. Sustain the liquid in the saucepan. Mix the peas in with the vegetables and beef.

Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/3 cup of water and pour this into the reserved beef broth. Bring to a simmer while stirring constantly; sacrifice heat. Cook for 5 minutes.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with one of the pie shells following holder directions. Spoon the beef combination into the pie crust. Pour the gravy on top. Cover with remaining pie crust.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

=> Hamburger Pie Recipe: All American Hamburger Pie

This method is an American favorite. We love hamburgers, so development a pie out of our popular meat sandwich is a winning idea. To give this method a richer flavor, you can substitute 1 can of mushroom soup for 1 can of tomato soup.

4 potatoes

1 pound lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

2 (10.75 oz.) cans condensed tomato soup

1 (15 oz.) can green beans, drained

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel and quarter the potatoes and put into boiling water; cook for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium high heat until the beef is brown; drain. Stir in the tomato soup and green beans.

Pour combination into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mound the mashed potatoes nearby the meat combination (do not cover meat). Sprinkle cheese on top of the potatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are golden.

=> Cheeseburger Pie Recipe: Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger! Need I say more?

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tomato, sliced

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup buttermilk baking mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10-inch deep dish pie plate.

In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until beef is brown; drain. Spread beef combination into the pie plate.

Sprinkle beef with salt, pepper and oregano. Arrange tomato slices on top of meat. Sprinkle cheese on top.

In a small bowl, integrate together the baking mix, milk and eggs. Pour over cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

=> Hamburger Pie Recipe: Corn Bread Hamburger Pie

This is a nice incompatibility on the basic hamburger pie recipe. The cornbread mix adds a nice sweetness and blends very well with the other ingredients. For an extra treat, add 1 can of creamed corn to the cornbread mix.

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted

1/4 cup salsa

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon steak sauce

1 (8.5 oz.) holder corn bread/muffin mix

Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large oven proof skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium high heat until meat is brown; drain. Stir in the soup, salsa, ketchup and steak sauce.

Prepare the cornbread batter agreeing to holder directions; let stand for 2 minutes. Spoon batter over beef mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until corn bread is lightly browned. Decoration with parsley.

Beef Pot Pie recipe - Homemade Beef Pot Pie